Though we share this path alone
by Rain7
Summary: Beka decides they need an assistant engineer to help Harper
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own the program or the characters, and anyway they'd be a lot of trouble.  
Spoilers: Nothing past the beginning of season two, I think.   
Summary: Beka decides they need to employ an assistant engineer to help Harper.   
  
Bear with me from the beginning I'm trying to introduce a new character and it takes time.   
  
"Why put off till tomorrow what you can avoid altogether"   
  
. . .  
  
Well that was the day that it all began. The day when all I'd ever known to be true was torn up and thrown away. The day I realised the monsters were real and they were out to kill.  
  
I'd lived all my life in a fairytale world of safety and happiness. The 'one upon a time' and 'happy ever after' of my life.   
  
And then the war broke out, and no longer was I safe or happy. More than that, I was no longer normal. Being different had never bothered me before but now it could mean the difference between life and death.   
  
Mostly, it was just a knack for things like language and understanding people and helping Mark fix stuff in the garage. Sometimes I thought I could fell the electricity running through the house. My parents always said I was special.   
  
Once the war broke out, the army began hunting out the non-norms, the people who were different. They wanted to be free of the monsters, they said. I'd never been called a monster before.   
  
Then the soldiers came one night, broke into our house. I had been afraid to sleep. The stories with the happy endings seemed so far away.   
  
And when they broke the door down I was already dressed and ready. I had known this time would come and I knew what I had to do.   
  
As I climbed out the window I heard footsteps coming up the stairs, thundering through the stillness of the night.   
  
I still have dreams about that night. I never found out what happened to my family. It was only me they had wanted, me they were afraid of.  
  
I was twelve at the time, five years have passed since then. Since I stowed away on an outgoing transport and began my life as a runaway. Someone forgotten.  
  
. . .  
  
I live on a station in the Kedrallas system, far away from my old home. My knack for things is what has kept me alive, knowing when to approach someone, what to say.   
  
I have learned quickly and now I have a fairly good job as an engineer. I work for Xarn, like lots of other young engineers on the station. When ships come in needing repair. he sends a few of us out.   
  
Sometimes we go with ships who are going on short term trips and need an engineer. Usually for three to six months.   
  
I learnt better survival skills as well. The best one I've learnt is that you get hassled a lot less if you're a boy than a girl. I was taught that by another station-wise kid a while back.   
  
I chose the name Zac, it's actually my middle name, Rora Zac Kyleson. And ever since then I've been thought of as a boy.   
  
It's not too hard, I speak low and quiet. My hair is short and light brown. Not too short above my shoulder. I tie it back mostly. I wear loose clothing, neutral colours.   
  
No-one has figured it out yet and they probably never will because I never stay anywhere for long. I'm leaving soon.   
  
Another key to survival- don't stay in one place too long, keep moving constantly and never let your guard down, even for a second. I'm just looking for the right opportunity and when it comes, I'll leave.   
  
You can run from the monsters that chase you, but you can't run from the demons inside.   
  
. . .   
  
Beka and Dylan were in command arguing. Beka was yelling at Dylan and it looked like she was winning.  
  
"He can't do it all by himself, Dylan! He needs someone to help him out, an assistant or something. You're working him too hard and he can't handle all this, especially now with his stomach full of Magog larvae! We need to find someone else to take on part of the work or..... "   
  
Beka looked like she was going to keep on yelling until end of the universe so Dylan held up one hand to silence her.   
  
She stopped and just glared at him, waiting, almost daring him to speak. His voice was quiet and calm.  
  
"Beka I know Harper is having a hard time dealing with everything and I understand your concern, but how do you suggest we find another engineer?"  
  
Beka looked at him as if he had two heads, or rather half a head, because she couldn't see how exactly he had ever become a Commonwealth Captain.  
  
"Andromeda, where are the nearest space stations to our current position?"  
  
"There are three stations within one slipstream of our current position. Arkus Station, Transfortual Orbit and Kedrallas space station."  
  
Beka smiled on hearing the last name. Dylan looked at her questioningly.  
  
"Andromeda, plot a course to the Kedrallas system" She turned to Dylan.  
  
"Kedrallas station is known for it's good engineers and fast repairs. I suggest that we look for our engineer there, unless you have a better idea."  
  
Dylan sighed and relented. "Alright we'll go visit the station and have a look for an engineer."   
  
"But we better clear this with Harper so he doesn't think he's being replaced. He should probably be the one to pick out his assistant."   
  
Beka smiled to herself, she'd won the argument. She jumped into the pilots seat and readied the ship for slipstream.   
  
She glanced at Dylan. "You should probably go let Harper know of our idea and check he's okay with it."  
  
Dylan glared at her. "And if he's not?"  
  
"You'll have to try and convince him somehow."   
  
Dylan walked out the door mumbling about how this wouldn't happen in his commonwealth days. He was off to find Harper.   
. . .  
  
Little did the crew of Andromeda know, that fate was about to give them a chance to find a person who could either be a very powerful ally or an equally as powerful enemy. And it was all in fate's hands. 


	2. and on we go....

Disclaimers and stuff: Nothing new here   
  
"Why be difficult, when, with a little effort, you can be impossible"  
  
. . .  
  
They arrived at the station in just over two hours. In the meanwhile Dylan had been trying to convince Harper.   
  
"When you say assistant, what you really mean is a replacement. So, when the magog finally eat me alive, you'll have someone who already knows her systems, someone who will be prepared to take on the job. And you can just carry on like nothing happened!"  
  
Dylan was looking a little exasperated by now. Two hours of talking to Harper and he still hadn't managed to convince him that it really was an assistant they were hiring, not a replacement.   
  
He finally decided to give him the new crew member pep talk.  
  
"Harper, you are a valued member of this crew and we could never replace you, never find anyone who could rival your abilities as an engineer and more than that, we could never find anyone with the personality to go with the abilities."  
  
Harper was not convinced but Dylan just looked at him, not trying to avoid the insecure young mans eyes. And finally, Harper sighed and agreed.   
  
"I suppose I could do with a little help and you will need someone when I'm..... gone. Who'd be better to train them then the genius himself."  
  
Dylan smiled at him and turned to walk out the door. He stopped for a moment and turned to look back at Harper.   
  
"And Harper, your not going anywhere, we'll find you a cure. Just.... be patient."  
  
. . .  
  
They arrived at the station a couple of hours later. Rev stayed on Andromeda because he was performing some sort of meditation rite and needed the peace and quiet.   
  
The rest of the crew were on the station. Harper, Beka and Dylan were going to look for a new engineer and Tyr had reluctantly agreed to accompany Trance shopping to buy some plants for Hydroponics.  
  
"So, Beka where do you suggest we go to find our new assistant engineer?" Dylan made sure to emphasise the 'assistant' part.   
  
"I used to know a guy here who had all the good engineers on the station working for him. His name was....Xarn. We'll ask someone if he's still in business."  
  
Beka asked around and on finding out that he was still in business and after getting directions to his office, they headed off.  
  
"I wonder how Tyr and Trance are doing, either he's killed her by now or he's going to come back very drunk." Harper was voicing his thoughts aloud.   
  
. . .  
  
While the Andromeda crew visited the station, someone else was also visiting the station. He had seen and heard the andromeda crew talk about finding a new engineer.   
  
He had been looking for a person for five years. He had gone to find her on the night she was in danger, on the night he thought she would have been frightened and confused enough to join them.  
  
But when he had gotten there it was too late, she had already gone. He had been tracking her for five years, her and others like her. By now he had gathered a sizeable crew but he needed her to complete it.   
  
He could feel the future and he knew that he had a chance now. It was all in the hands of fate and he liked to play with fate.   
  
He followed Dylan and the others at a distance, but alert and ready to make his move.   
  
It was all in fate's hands but his hands were locked around fates wrists.  
. . .  
  
They reached Xarn's office or rather it was a warehouse of a sort, with a office room at the opposite end of the door.  
  
There were about twenty people in the room working on spare parts and with different engineering tools.   
  
Zac was working on a environmental control circuit board, she looked up when the three people walked in the door.   
  
She knew instantly that this was her chance, her opportunity and she was ready to take it.  
  
Jerr met the people at the door and led them towards Xarn's office. No-one noticed the other person enter the warehouse after them, they had already gone back to their work.  
  
Zac felt someone behind her, she turned and faced the person. She didn't know him but before she could say anything, he spoke.   
  
"Rora, it is nice to finally meet you."  
  
. . .  
  
"We do not usually send out engineers on a long term basis, the longest is normally up to six months."  
  
Dylan looked at Beka, waiting for her to take the lead. He hoped she knew what she was doing.   
  
"But you must have some people looking for a permanent job. You could at least ask your workers if any of them were interested."  
  
Beka sighed with frustration. Why did you always have to spell the simplest solutions out to people.  
  
They continued bargaining with Xarn, but he was very reluctant to give up an engineer. This was going to take some time. And fate waited for no-one.   
  
. . .  
  
"Who the hell are you, and what do you want?" Zac whispered fiercely at the stranger.   
  
"No need to whisper, they can't hear you" He gestured to the other workers.  
  
"I have many names. You may call me Ror-Bal, my crew call me Ror. I am here to offer you a job, a place on my ship. With your own kind"  
  
Zac just stared at him for a moment.   
  
"What do you mean 'my own kind' and how do you know my real name?" She was beginning to get frightened.   
  
"I mean those people with special abilities like yours and mine, others would call us monsters, I prefer 'special' or 'gifted'"  
  
"I know your name because I have been looking for you for a long time. I want you to join us, to be part of my crew and to help us in our mission"   
  
Zac was trying to process all this. Some guy she'd never met before was offering her all she'd ever wanted since she'd ran away.   
  
A place where she would belong. Where she wouldn't be considered different. Where she could be herself.   
  
So what was the catch?  
  
He smiled at her suddenly. The smile was warm but had a hidden depth of ice to it. His eyes were that kind of icicle blue.   
  
Not even the smile was enough to warm his eyes.  
  
"There's no catch, we need you and you need us."  
  
"I don't need anyone."  
  
He looked up at the door of the office suddenly. Then he turned back to her.   
  
"Please, we don't have much time. Come with me now. Come meet your family. See what you will gain and then choose."  
  
She stood there undecided for a moment. He touched her hand and she saw inside of him, or at least she thought she did.   
  
What she saw was what she wanted to see, only she didn't know it then.   
  
"Come, we must go."   
  
He turned to walk out the door. She hesitated for just a second and in that second the choice was made. She followed him out the door and on to her new life.   
  
Another second after she walked out the door, the office door opened and Xarn came out to offer the engineers the job.   
  
Zac had completely forgotten about the Andromeda crew. Fate had never had a chance.  
  
. . .  
  
Xarn finished speaking to his engineers, telling them the offer Beka had made. And then he asked if anyone was interested.   
  
He didn't really think anyone would be, most of them were safe and happy here on the station. Who wanted to go chasing some crazy idea of rebuilding a long dead organisation.  
  
He wasn't surprised at the lack of volunteers and then, he was very surprised to find the only volunteer was Nathan.   
  
Nathan was a quiet, good worker. He kept himself to himself. And he wasn't one to go looking for adventure. But here he was signing up for the wild ride.   
  
Xarn introduced him to Captain Hunt and his crew. He was very polite as he shook their hands. He showed them Nathan resume.   
  
He had worked for a year on a Starr Class Cruiser. It took people on three months rides to see the sights and sounds of the galaxy. He was familiar with the insides of many ships.   
  
He and Harper went off to talk about engineering problems, Harper was quizzing the poor guy. Trying to see if he really was as good as his piece of paper said.   
  
Nathan demonstrated his skills by fixing a gravity generator. He was efficient and meticulous.   
  
"Look, kid, don't get me wrong here but are you really sure you want to do this? I mean it's not going to be easy. Hell, it'll be harder than anything you've done before."   
  
"And we need to know your not going to drop out on us after a while. That you're not gonna give up when the going gets tough."  
  
Nathan looked at the guy who was calling him kid, even though he was no more than a couple of years older than him. His mind was already made up.   
  
"I am sure I want to do this, Mr. Harper. I want a challenge, something to keep going for, and I think your cause is it. I hope can deal when things get tough and I'm willing to go in on a long term basis. The best I can say is that I'm going to try my damn hardest to do my best. I give you my word on that."  
  
Harper looked at him. He was so young, not naive, just young. And he was determined. Harper could see that.  
  
Harper grinned at him.  
  
"Kid your hired! Oh and by the way. It's just Harper, not Mr. Harper just Harper or Harper the Genius."  
  
Nathan smiled and they went back to where Xarn, Dylan and Beka were talking to work out the details.  
  
. . .   
  
Two ships left the Kedrallas system that evening. The Andromeda complete with new crewmember, lots of new plants and a fairly disgruntled Tyr.   
  
And Ror's ship with his new crewmember Zac. She decided to keep her name and her identity the same. She'd been used to it for so long. And it made things easier somehow, to hide behind it.   
  
Neither ship knew that they were so destined to meet again. Fate was angry at being played and it wanted it's revenge.  
  
. . .  
  
If you check the last paragraph of the last chapter you'll see that yes I did give a hint. Oh, and would someone like to give me a definition of a Mary-Sue type character?  
  
And if there are any Sky One fans interested in when Andromeda is coming back they should email me. I'd put it on the fic but it might look like I'm advertising for Sky or something. 


End file.
